Seaway Saga

3… 2… 1… Happy New Year! Well, at least that’s what was expected to happen for dozens of Seaway workers looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve and the closing of the St. Lawrence Seaway, but instead they found themselves quickly caught up in a dramatic shipping soap opera in Massena, NY.

As Times Square prepared for the iconic ball drop, Snell Lock, one of two US operated locks on the Seaway, took some of the spotlight for its own. When one of the final ships of the season, Federal Biscay, approached the lock, it became stuck like a wine cork in a bottle as ice had built up on the lock walls and the bow of the ship pushed massive chucks of ice into the lock ahead of itself. You might think, no big deal just back the ship up and try again, but it wasn’t that easy.

With ice more than 10-inches thick in the canal between Eisenhower and Snell Locks, along with the growing amount of ice on the lock walls, Federal Biscay found itself lodged about two-thirds of the way into Snell Lock and unable to budge. Temperatures in the region were not helpful as they plummeted into the teens and soon after into the negative digits. The Seaway’s own tugboat, Robinson Bay, a 1958 built single screw vessel, worked behind Biscay in an effort to break up ice floes in hopes of freeing the ship, with no immediate luck.

When the Saga Began

You could say it all started on December 28, just days before the Seaway was set to close for the season, as Pacific Huron, a 623-foot ocean-going vessel, ran aground between Thousand Island Park, Wellesley Island and Fisher’s Landing, NY. Days earlier, the Seaway had removed the nearby channel markers, though that played no significance in the incident.

There were five ships, at the time, making their way to clear the locks along the St. Lawrence Seaway by the season-ending December 31 deadline. So, the clock was ticking. We got the news from several sources and the word spread quickly. Any grounding is newsworthy, but having a shipping disaster in mid-winter is more than worrisome.

The ship was traveling just east of Clayton when it experienced a mechanical blackout and lost steering abilities. The crew quickly reacted and dropped the stern anchor in an effort to keep the ship from continuing down the river and into the American Narrows. By having minimal control of the ship, it drifted to the north side of the channel and became grounded on a shoal just outside of the channel.

The timing of the grounding brought questions from many, but the biggest was “will the Seaway closing be extended?”

When Pacific Huron ran aground the remaining four ships were in transit behind her headed downbound for the ocean - Federal Biscay, Mitiq, Beatrix and Billesborg.

By December 30, Pacific Huron was assisted by tugs and moved to a nearby anchorage for further inspection, plus the Seaway quietly extended the closing date knowing the ship wouldn’t clear all of the locks in time.

Ice, Ice Baby

Meanwhile back in Massena, Robinson Bay was working overtime to break ice around the locks. Federal Biscay was the first to make its way through Eisenhower Lock. Thick ice in the canal between Eisenhower and Snell Locks was breaking up in large chunks and being pushed by the ship as it approached Snell. Freezing cold temperatures were also contributing to ice build up on the ship’s hull. On the afternoon of December 31, Federal Biscay went to enter the Snell Lock, but only managed to get partially in because of ice in the lock and ice on the lock walls. Making it more of an issue was the fact that the ship was the maximum width permitted in the locks, so space to spare was non-existent.

During the time Federal Biscay decided to jam up the Seaway, Mitiq had also made its way through Eisenhower Lock and was forced to anchor in the canal between the locks. Beatrix and Billesborg were ordered to hold up at Wilson Hill anchorage until the situation could be resolved. Back in Fisher’s Landing, Pacific Huron sat waiting for a river pilot to resume its journey, but part of the hold up with that was their pilot was stuck on Federal Biscay.

Federal Biscay had wedged itself in so tight that it would take several days, multiple tugboats, numerous heavy land equipment vehicles, boilers, bubblers, and a ton and a half of patience, before being uncorked.

Once freed, Federal Biscay was tied to the upper lock wall to be inspected, the tugboats worked diligently to break ice, and the other remaining ships were allowed to begin locking through at Massena.

Ships on Parade

Now that the ships were able to get through Snell Lock again, there was more concern regarding ice between Massena and Montreal. Rather than risk another incident or having a ship become stuck in the open ice, tugs and the Canadian Coast Guard’s Martha Black worked to break a trail through the ice and escort the convoy. They lined up one behind the other, as if on parade, and slowly ventured to the South Shore Canal just west of Montreal. The escorts would return to Massena and lead Pacific Huron and Federal Biscay the following day.

On January 9, all ships had officially cleared the US locks and on January 11 at 6 p.m. Federal Biscay was the last commercial vessel through St. Lambert Lock at Montreal, closing the Seaway’s 59th season, 11 days later than originally scheduled.

Michael Folsom‏ @theshipwatcherJan 1: At this point ice has caused a log jam inside Snell Lock, not allowing Federal Biscay to fully enter the lock. All possible means of ice breaking is being done, but Robinson Bay only able to do so much as it is behind the ship. Lock doors can’t be closed.

Michael Folsom‏ @theshipwatcherJan 2: Federal Biscay will remain stuck for another night after two tugs were used for more than 7 hours today to free her from Snell Lock. Evans McKeil will join the effort tomorrow as will boilers to heat the water. Quite the situation in Massena.

Michael Folsom‏ @theshipwatcherJan 2: Pilots on Federal Biscay were to have been off the ship days ago and report to Pacific Huron. Instead they sit on a ship, stuck in ice about 3/4 of the way into the lock in Massena.

Michael Folsom‏ @theshipwatcherJan 5: Intent remains to get the ships out of the Seaway, but as time ticks by and temps drop even lower, that possibility is quickly becoming less likely. Seaway is mum on the issue. I believe next 48 hours will determine what will happen.

Michael Folsom‏ @theshipwatcherJan 5: *IF* ships were to winter on the Seaway, Biscay would likely remain at Snell, Mitiq could back to lower Eisenhower wall, Beatrix to upper Eisenhower wall, Billesborg to Iroquois along with Pacific Huron.

Michael Folsom‏ @theshipwatcher Jan 8: Last night we learned Federal Biscay looks to be good to travel it’s own power and propeller issue seems to be null. Crews are currently preparing for downbound passage. @CCG_GCC Martha Black has worked overnight preparing east of Snell.

Thanks to Jacques Leblanc, who added several aerial photographs to his Facebook page, the “Last boat to travel on the St. Lawrence River (Seaway) for the 2017 season. With the help of an icebreaker” January 9, 2018

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Comments

Comment by: Tamma Goldner Left at: 4:39 PM Sunday, January 14, 2018

What a great article Michael Folsom put together. Photos were exceptional and I read every word. I’ve been a going to the River since the 50’s (before Seaway opened) and never heard of anything like this ever happening. Many thanks.

Comment by: Susie Smith Left at: 4:58 PM Sunday, January 14, 2018

Tamma be sure to read Craig Stevenson's article in this month's issue too. You will be amazed by the photos and may remember. Susie Smith

Comment by: Lynda Crothers Left at: 3:16 AM Monday, January 15, 2018

Yes Wow, just a quiet end to the Season ... it was not. Went away for Christmas with ships leaving the Lake and River with ice issues then coming home the ICE issues became larger , delays wondering if they would make the cut off date etc . Great run down of events : )

Comment by: Mardy Howe Left at: 6:44 AM Monday, January 15, 2018

Great article. I followed the saga on "The Prescott Anchor. It was a nail-biter. It was the last thing you checked before you closed down to sleep and the first thing you did in the morning to check for progress. Felt so bad for the people that worked out in those frigid cold temperatures.